Changes: Werra

Latest revision as of 03:53, 4 August 2015

The Werra is a series of 35mm viewfinder or rangefinder cameras manufactured by the Carl Zeiss Jena factory which was primarily a lens-making plant. The Werra is named after a small German river.

The cameras offer a high degree of control with a minimum number of levers, knobs or rings. In their simplest incarnations, the Werras featured only a shutter release button on the top plate. With it's streamlined styling, one could call the Werras a design camera. Nearly all other controls were incorporated into the lens barrel.

Twist that lens ![]

The most unique feature of the Werra is the covered ring around the lens barrel. Twisting the ring cocks the shutter and advanced the film in one motion. In addition, the lens cap doubles as a shade (compare the pictures below).

Markings on this camera[]

The lens, a 50/2.8 Tessar, is often marked T instead of Tessar and Jena instead of Carl Zeiss Jena because of a conflict between the East- and West-German division of the firm -- though examples of export Werras with both disputed marks do exist.

On the lower left part of the barrel or shutter speed dial, there is a logo, "Q1," meaning "Erste Qualität" or first quality. This was a designation for East-German exports to the West. Models meant for the home market lacked this logo.

The lower right side featured the Ernemann tower logo derived from a tower found at Ernemann's camera factory in Dresden.

Variations and later models[]

Several variations were made. There is an olive green version of the Werra 1. The Werra 2 and Werramatic models have selenium cell lightmeters. The models Werra III, Werra IV, Werra V and Werramatic have a coupled rangefinder together with interchangeable lenses, allowing tele- and wide-angle lenses.

Links[]

Werra page in French at KRG's website
Werra page at Dirapon website
On www.collection-appareils.fr by Sylvain Halgand :

In English:

Werra, the design that came from the east at Classic Cameras by RaúlM.

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 The most unique feature of the Werra is the covered ring around the lens barrel. Twisting the ring cocks the shutter and [[film advance|advanced the film]] in one motion. In addition, the lens cap doubles as a [[lens hood|shade]] (compare the pictures below).
-{| class="plainlinks" align="center" style="text-align: center;"
-| width=250px| [http://www.flickr.com/photos/50678983@N00/166668376/in/pool-camerapedia/ http://static.flickr.com/50/166668376_62c311fc58_m.jpg]
-| width=250px| [http://www.flickr.com/photos/50678983@N00/166678301/in/pool-camerapedia/ http://static.flickr.com/47/166678301_13d32e5561_m.jpg]
-|-
-| ''Werra I with lens cap.''
-| ''Bottom of the Werra I with controls.<br />Note the lens cap doubles as a [[Lens hood|shade]].''
-|-
-| colspan=2 | ''Pictures by Driesvandenelzen. {{with permission}}''
-|}
-The Werra uses a central shutter. It has [[flash sync]] at all speeds (B, 1 to 1/750s). It has an X and M setting and a [[self-timer]] V.
 == Markings on this camera ==
@@ Line 28: / Line 17: @@
 == Variations and later models ==
-{| class="plainlinks" align="right" width=240px style="text-align: center;"
-| [http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevemphoto/283175020/in/pool-camerapedia http://farm1.static.flickr.com/100/283175020_ae27088af4_m.jpg]
-|-
-| ''Werra lenses. Picture by SteveMPhoto. {{creative commons}}''
-|}
 Several variations were made. There is an olive green version of the Werra 1. The Werra 2 and Werramatic models have [[selenium]] cell lightmeters. The models Werra III, Werra IV, Werra V and Werramatic have a coupled [[rangefinder]] together with interchangeable lenses, allowing tele- and wide-angle lenses.
-{| class="plainlinks" align="center" style="text-align: center;"
-| width=250px | [http://www.flickr.com/photos/alf_sigaro/292259342/in/pool-camerapedia http://farm1.static.flickr.com/104/292259342_5f34e12b70_m.jpg]
-| width=250px | [http://www.flickr.com/photos/egons/500691064/in/pool-camerapedia http://farm1.static.flickr.com/231/500691064_14a673ac32_m.jpg]
-|-
-| ''Variant with alu film advance ring.<br />Picture by Alf Sigaro. {{creative commons}}''
-| ''Variant with [[Compur]].<br />Picture by Egonbja. {{with permission}}''
-|-
-| [http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevemphoto/283174917/in/pool-camerapedia http://farm1.static.flickr.com/121/283174917_3fe115528f_m.jpg]
-| [http://www.flickr.com/photos/mech_for_i/189872798/in/pool-camerapedia http://farm1.static.flickr.com/48/189872798_9d15a973bf_m.jpg]
-|-
-| ''Werramatic with Flektogon lens.<br />Picture by SteveMPhoto. {{creative commons}}''
-| ''Olive green variant.<br />Picture by Mech for I. {{creative commons}}''
-|}
-{| class="plainlinks" align="center" style="text-align: center;"
-| [http://www.flickr.com/photos/thewrongdevice/4532342626/in/pool-camerapedia http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2701/4532342626_6e40798d3c_m.jpg] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/thewrongdevice/4531751331/in/pool-camerapedia http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2732/4531751331_3280ec6ee9_m.jpg]
-|-
-| [http://www.flickr.com/photos/thewrongdevice/4531751327/in/pool-camerapedia http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2740/4531751327_1920b456bf_m.jpg] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/thewrongdevice/4531762709/in/pool-camerapedia http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2788/4531762709_8dd416e4b5_m.jpg]
-|-
-| ''Werramatic. Pictures by Laszlo Gerencser. {{with permission}}''
-|}
 == Links ==